Croda (CPI) Limited


Company Number: SC000961
Date of Incorporation: 27 April 1880
Contact Details: 55/57 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3PA
Operating Details: Active (dormant since at least 2009)
Other names (if known): AB Fleming & Co Limited (1880-1983)
Function of Company*: Non-trading company (7499) previously manufacturer of printing ink (2430)
Headquarters/Base of Operations Location: Edinburgh. Originally Leith, later Granton and Maybury
Area of Operation: Exported worldwide

*Taken from Standard Industrial Classification 2003, as used by Companies House in 2010

Records


Held By: National Archives of Scotland, GB 234 GD431

Scope/type: 1869-1962: Memorandum and Articles of Association; Minutes and agendas; Financial Records; Correspondence; Technical Records; Publicity material; photographs; records of subsidiary BW Winstone & Co (see below)

Conditions governing access/use: Open, but off-site. Request must be made in advance.

Related records: Some other court records involving this company available at the NAS

Company History


In 1852 Alexander Bonar Fleming founded the firm of A B Fleming for the manufacture of printing inks. The original premises were located in Salamander Street, Leith and the firm retained a presence in the Edinburgh area throughout its existence, with plants at Granton and the Maybury. In 1971 A B Fleming's was bought over by Croda and the plant at Granton closed in 1983. Subsequently Fishburn Printing Ink Co Ltd took over in 1985 and the following year the remaining plant at the Maybury was closed.
The records in this collection are concerned primarily with the late 19th century and early 20th century and reflect the better fortunes of the firm during this period. In 1870 the firm moved from Leith to new premises at Caroline Park, Granton built on ground leased from the Duke of Buccleuch. The 17th century Caroline Park mansion was utilised as the registered offices of the business.

In 1880 the business became a limited company with a burgeoning export sector of manufactured inks and raw materials. A branch factory operated at Dundee producing oil and lubricants, including Spinning Oil for treating textiles, in co-partnership with Turnbull Salveson & Co. However the enterprise was closed after the First World War when foreign competition increased. Associated companies also existed in Calcutta and London and some records of the London company, B Winstone & Sons Ltd, which was bought over in 1896, are included in this collection.

The company is currently registered to premises in Yorkshire and appears to have been dormant for a number of years. Croda itself is a large multinational corporation with numerous subsidiaries, and is based in East Yorkshire.